A help desk technician receives a phone call from an individual who claims to be a representative from the company's primary software vendor. The caller states there is a critical security vulnerability in the software and requests the technician's administrative username and password to install an emergency patch immediately. The technician suspects social engineering. Which type of social engineering attack is being attempted?

Phishing

Phishing usually refers to fraudulent emails or text messages that lure recipients to click malicious links or provide information. While similar, the phone call vector distinguishes this as pretexting.

Baiting

Baiting relies on curiosity or greed, offering something like a free movie download or USB drive. The caller does not offer anything; they request credentials under false pretenses.

Tailgating

Tailgating is a physical security breach where an unauthorized person follows an authorized person into a secured area. This attack is purely social and does not involve physical access.

What does this 220-1101 question test?

OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Pretexting — Pretexting is a social engineering technique where the attacker creates a fabricated scenario (pretext) to gain the victim's trust and extract sensitive information. In this scenario, the attacker pretends to be from a trusted vendor to obtain login credentials. Phishing (B) typically occurs via email or text with a link, not a phone call. Baiting (C) offers something enticing (e.g., a free USB drive) to trick users. Tailgating (D) involves following an authorized person into a restricted area without proper authentication.

What should I do if I get this 220-1101 question wrong?

Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.